Crypto, data centers, and the fight for Oregon’s farm fields
Stopping Data Center Development in Christmas Valley and Jefferson County
With the rise of data centers, Oregon’s farmland, like this area in Christmas Valley, is facing increasing pressure from development proposals. Photo: Jimmy Emerson
Central Oregon LandWatch has been at the forefront of several efforts to safeguard farm land from data center development, recently achieving a major victory in Christmas Valley, while also continuing to challenge a concerning rezoning effort in Jefferson County.
Farmers Best Crypto in Lake County
LandWatch and Christmas Valley residents recently stopped a controversial rezone of farmland to accommodate a cryptocurrency mining project
On a cold winter evening this January, nearly two dozen Christmas Valley residents and farmers packed a county hearing room in Lakeview. They’d made the two-hour drive to voice their opposition to a proposed cryptocurrency mining data center on 20 acres of Lake County farmland.
Residents raised a number of concerns about groundwater and power consumption, noise, and harm to Christmas Valley’s celebrated dark skies. Several Lake County farmers voiced opposition to converting farmland to industrial use.
Through our written comments and oral testimony via Zoom, LandWatch made it clear that rezoning farmland was inappropriate, especially given the availability of other undeveloped, industrially zoned properties in the area.
One of the key points in LandWatch's argument was the defense of the existing exclusive farm use (EFU) zoning. The applicant argued that the EFU zoning had been adopted "in error," and that the 20-acre parcel in question was unsuitable for farm use.
Unsuitable? It was a pretty thin argument given that Christmas Valley is home to thousands of acres actively engaged in farming, and Lake County as a whole ranks third in Oregon for total crop and hay sales. Moreover, agriculture in Lake County extends beyond alfalfa, with the county ranking fourth in cattle and calf production and even playing a role in Oregon’s aquaculture industry.
Local farmers who knew the property weighed in to state that it was suitable for crop cultivation, and many more residents expressed that the land should remain designated for farming and ranching rather than being turned into a data center that could harm local agricultural viability.
Proposal Withdrawn
When only three of the seven Lake County Planning Commissioners voted in favor of the rezoning, the applicant withdrew the proposal.
This win highlights the power and the importance of local residents standing up for what they believe in. Along with community opposition, LandWatch’s proactive stance prevented a potentially costly and time-consuming legal battle, while also sending a message: the community is watching and will not back down when it comes to protecting farmland.
Looking Ahead: Protecting Farmland Across Central Oregon
While this victory was a significant win for Christmas Valley and Lake County, it’s just one battle in the ongoing fight to preserve agricultural land across the region.
Jefferson County farmland. Productive land like this should be the last option for UGB expansion.
Opposing the Rezoning of 195 Acres of Jefferson County Farmland for Data Center Use
Central Oregon LandWatch is actively opposing the rezoning of 195 acres in Jefferson County, to accommodate the development of a large data center. Local officials have bypassed thousands of acres of available land within the urban growth boundary (UGB) and urban reserve areas to instead target some of the best farmland in Central Oregon for industrial development.
By statute, farmland should be the last option for UGB expansion. Land use law prioritizes urban reserves, non-resource lands, and marginal lands before even considering farmland. Despite these requirements, Jefferson County and City of Madras have pushed forward a proposal that seems to have been predetermined long before formal studies of alternative sites were even conducted. Emails dating back to early 2023 suggest that the County favored the farmland property off of Dogwood Lane from the outset, which raises concerns about the integrity of the decision-making process.
Local farmers and the Jefferson County Farm Bureau joined LandWatch in opposing this rezoning effort. Program Director and Staff Attorney Rory Isbell will present our case to the Land Conservation and Development Commission, advocating for the protection of this vital farmland.
LANDWATCH ACTION CENTER
